A Wish Gratified
by Oneiropolos
Summary: *Complete* An encounter with a youkai causes Shippou to age significantly. Can the gang manage to keep a powerful fox youkai -with all the rashness of youth- in line until things can get back to normal? PG-13 for language and some Inuyasha/Kagome romance.
1. Prologue

This is my very first Inuyasha fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy it. Rest assured that the prologue is shorter than most of the chapters will be. Please review. Suggestions and creative criticisms are quite welcome. ^_^ 

Disclaimers: I don't own Inuyasha or any of the characters. Unfortunately. 

A Wish Gratified 

Prologue

__

"We would often be sorry if our wishes were gratified."- Aesop 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Shippou sighed, staring into the water at his reflection. It was impossible for the young fox youkai to not note his young features yet again. He lifted green eyes, tilting his head slightly to regard his traveling companions. Inuyasha was sitting, back against a nearby tree, dog ears twitching as he listened for trouble. His golden eyes were heavily lidded as the hanyou watched the activity in the field before him. Sango was a bit farther off, tending to Hiraikotsu, Miroku relaxing next to her. The monk was surprisingly well behaved for being in such close proximity to the exterminator. Of course, the fact that Kirara was nearby her mistress had nothing to do with it. Kagome, for her part, was tending the fire. Inuyasha's gaze often trailed to Kagome when he thought no one was looking. He thinks no one notices, Shippou thought derisively, a childish frown curving his lips. He's more immature than me! Of course, for all Inuyasha's manners, the fact remained he was still a powerful warrior. When he wasn't sulking, he stood tall and strong, and was capable of wielding the large Tetsusaiga. Shippou would have trouble lifting the sword, let alone using it in battle. The frown on the cub's lips turned into an outright pout. 

They were _all_ strong warriors. All except...him. Shippou's shoulders slumped a bit as his eyes again returned to the water. 

__

"You're young, Shippou! When you get older, you'll be strong too!" That had been Kagome's response when he had expressed his upset to her. Kagome was always nice and encouraging. 

Too bad Inuyasha ended up ruining her valiant attempts with a quick hand and even quicker words, "Feh! Stop whining. You don't get strong from whining." 

__

"Stupid Inuyasha." Shippou muttered bitterly, rubbing the sore spot on his head gingerly as he glanced up at the resting warrior.The hanyou's ears twitched and for one terrified moment Shippou was certain he had heard the comment. When Inuyasha raised a lazy hand to bat away the offending insect that had disturbed him, however, Shippou let out a barely audible sigh of relief. Then he frowned again. Why did he have to fear Inuyasha? Would he never be strong enough that the hanyou wouldn't have the right to hit him? 

The setting sun gave the water a warm, orange glow. Disturbed by the tranquility of the river when his own thoughts were in such turmoil, Shippou gave in to the desire to disrupt it by splashing his legs in it. As he watched the ripples move across the surface, a soft wish escaped his lips, "I wish I could be older now. Then Inuyasha would see that I can be powerful too!" He was unaware of the extra set of eyes upon him, eyes that did not belong to any of his companions. 

A feral grin curved the lips of the figure covered in shadow, the creature watching as the young one scrambled out of the water and rejoined the others. It faded back into the forest, the snicker on the wind the only evidence it had ever been there at all. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter one will be posted soon, and after that the main action of the story will start! This will have Inuyasha/Kagome romance in it, I promise. Please review so I know if there's interest! 


	2. Stubborn Hanyous and Trees

Here's chapter one, as promised! Please review as they always serve to give ideas to further the story along. The chapters aren't quite as long as I would like them to be, but hopefully they'll grow as I go. Thank you to those who have already reviewed. It's very encouraging! ^_^ 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha despite how much I would like to. 

****

Chapter One 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Inuyasha?" 

The soft voice floated up through the branches of the tree to the hanyou. It did not startle him. He had heard Kagome's approach. He opened one eye, then slowly the other, lowering his gaze to the base where the girl stood. The others were sleeping, so he kept his response soft as well. Not that he cared if he woke anyone up. 

"What?" 

"Can we talk?" 

__

Damn. When a female wanted to talk, it was not usually a good thing. Especially not with _this_ female. "Can't it wait till morning?" He inquired grumpily. Not that he was really that tired. He didn't require as much sleep as those weak humans. He just didn't want to talk. 

"I would prefer we talk now..."

Well, he wasn't left with much choice, was he? He could either come down and talk with her, or she would use _The_ _Word. _That is what he had now dubbed it- The Word. He hated The Word with a passion, surpassed only by his hatred of Naraku. Well, Naraku... and Kouga. But after Naraku and Kouga was The Word. He bared his fangs briefly at the moon before jumping gracefully down to the ground. "Whaddya want?" 

Kagome offered him a brilliant smile, unperturbed by his grouchiness. She was used to it. "I'm worried about Shippou." 

Inuyasha folded his arms before him, ignoring her smile. Not that he had to ignore it. It wouldn't have affected him at all if he had paid attention to it. Of course not. Fortunately, he wasn't forced to test his theory because her words managed to bring him the necessary annoyance, "Shippou?" _Don't tell me she had me come down to discuss the little runt! _

Oh, but she did, and her next words confirmed it. "I think he's been upset lately. Didn't you notice how down he was today?" Inuyasha hadn't, so he was glad when Kagome didn't wait for an answer, "He seems bothered that he can't be a part of the battles." 

"Feh. Of course he can't. He's still a kid." Inuyasha rolled his eyes towards the heavens, wondering who he had managed to tick off enough that he was burdened with such a group. A lecherous monk, two females (There needed be no adjectives added to them. To the hanyou, being female was enough.) and a fox cub. Kirara wasn't included in his list of burdens. She was generally handy to have around. 

"I know that, and you know that, Inuyasha, but Shippou is having troubles accepting it. So I was thinking if you talked to him…" Kagome continued talking, but it seemed like time was slowing down for Inuyasha. 

__

She is not going to suggest what I think she is going to suggest. 

"You could give him some advice. It'd be a bonding moment." 

And she did. Damn. 

"No." Considering that enough of a reply, Inuyasha turned and lept onto the first branch of the tree. 

"Inuyasha! You can't just say no!" 

"I just did." He proceeded to prepare to jump to the second branch. But Inuyasha had made a fatal mistake, one he often made with Kagome. The mistake of thinking he could get his way. 

"Inuyasha! SIT!" 

Inuyasha violently obeyed. Unfortunately, Kagome had also made a mistake. The one of standing under a tree once you used the word of submission on a stubborn hanyou. Inuyasha landed right on top of Kagome. 

It seemed a property of the beads that the force of Inuyasha's fall was directly connected with how angry Kagome was at the moment. It was fortunate, then, that she was more frustrated than angry when she called out the command and that he didn't land that hard. The breath was knocked from her, but she sustained no serious injury. No, the more pressing matter as she struggled to regain her breath was that Inuyasha's full length was pressed against her. It was quite a discomforting realization. She stared into his dazed golden eyes, no longer certain if her lack of breath was due to being knocked down or the fact that the hanyou was still on top of her. 

Shaking his head in an attempt to clear the stars from his gaze, Inuyasha blinked owlishly at Kagome as he fully comprehended their position. To her amazement, a blush crept over the confident warrior's face and he quickly sat up. "You okay?" 

She sat up carefully, tentatively checking for any broken bones. "Uh.... Yeah. I think so." 

Inuyasha leaned close, sniffing the air near Kagome experimentally. "I don't smell any blood." Apparently satisfied with the knowledge that Kagome was fine, he offered grouchily, "Now you know how it feels." 

Kagome frowned at him, but felt a twinge of conscience. Perhaps she did use The Word too much. She would think on it later, but there was a more important matter to consider, "So, will you talk to Shippou?" 

Stunned, Inuyasha simply stared at her before inquiring intelligently, "What?" 

Kagome rose to her feet cautiously, dusting off her clothes. She spoke in a slower tone, as if suspecting that the fall had addled his wits, "Will…you…talk…to…Shippou?" 

The hanyou scowled, "I heard you the first time, wench, I just can't believe you actually expect me to. What the hell do you expect me to say to him?" 

Any contrition Kagome felt at using The Word promptly disappeared at the word 'wench.' She raised her chin, staring down at the still-seated Inuyasha. "Just talk with him, Inuyasha, or you may not get any ramen for a while!" With that ghastly threat, she turned on her heel and stomped off, leaving Inuyasha with one thought. 

__

Damn. 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please review and as always, comments and suggestions are welcome. Chapter two should be up soon. Shippou is about to discover that getting what he wants may not be so great after all. 


	3. Shippou's Siren

Thank you for those who have been reviewing! It's very nice to know that people are enjoying the story. I apologize for the shortness of this chapter, but the next has already been written and is longer. 

Saro: I've researched Japanese Kitsune lore a bit for this story, and have found that while they prefer trickery, the general consensus is that they can indeed cause a lot of damage. Though Shippou's attacks don't seem like much now, when an adult Kitsune decides to take action, they can be very dangerous. They're fast and as crafty as…well, a fox! As to the age, we know from a comment Inuyasha once made that Shippou is at least fifty years old because he was alive when Inuyasha was first sealed. I am planning for Shippou to appear about eighteen, but as to how many in human years, that I don't know yet! We've never really learned how old any of them are, so anything I put will have to be pure preference.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

Chapter Two 

----------------------------------------------------

Inuyasha was incorrect in assuming that everyone was asleep. Shippou rarely went to sleep before Kagome did, and since she had gone to talk to Inuyasha, he was very wide-awake. The fox youkai watched the fire burn for a few minutes, listening to the crackling noise of the flames consuming the wood. It did not calm him, for his own thoughts were consuming him in much the same manner. Restless, Shippou rose to his feet and he moved away from the campsite. 

Ennui in a young mind can be dangerous for it often leads to foolish actions. Such as wandering away from campsites in the middle of the night and not telling anyone you are leaving. Shippou's destination was the forest at the edge of the clearing. He liked the woods. They had always offered him a sense of peace. Perhaps it was the kitsune part of him, but the woods gave him shelter that open fields lacked. 

Since he was seeking solitude, Shippou was surprised by the barely discernible voice in the night wind. Curious, he advanced further into the woods, ears straining to catch whatever they could. He was certain it was a female voice. _And she's singing. It sounds so familiar... _He followed the sound deeper, not considering just how far away he was getting from the others. Not that it would have made a difference if he had. The enchanting voice was calling him, and he could not find it in his young heart to disobey. Somehow he knew what the voice was promising. _Comfort. Love. Safety. _

The moonlight glinted off something further ahead, and Shippou found his steps quickening as he neared the place where he just _knew _the owner of the voice was. The sound of water soon mingled with the song and he found himself standing at the edge of a small pool. The moon glinted off of it, giving it the appearance of quicksilver. Any other time, such a sight would be enough to dazzle his eyes and keep his attention for a long while. Yet, it was not the water on which his eyes fell. 

A young woman sat on a rock in the middle of the pool, her delicate features bathed in moonlight. She ran a comb through her hair as she sang, seemingly lost in the words of her song. Shippou felt as if he was interrupting something important, as if he was a child in a place where only adults were invited. He started to back away, but it was then that the woman lifted her eyes to him. A maternal smile curved her lips as she raised a hand and beckoned him to come forward. _She wants me here! _The giddy thought filled Shippou's head, more potent than any joy he had felt before. He scrambled forward, bounding over the trail of small stones that led to the rock the woman was seated on. 

"Yes, my little Shippou, come to me." Her voice was gentle and melodic, calling to Shippou's mind another woman with such a voice. _Mother. _ The woman gathered Shippou to her when he made it to her, holding him closely. Lethargy stole over the fox youkai as he snuggled closer. His eyes drifted shut as contentment filled him. _She accepts me. _

The minute the fox child was asleep, the kind smile the woman had worn until then was replaced with a cruel grin. She stroked his hair, her voice harsh, "Yes, my little Shippou. Your youth will serve to continue my immortality." She tightened her grip on him, eyes glowing red as she concentrated on the unconscious cub. 

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Suggestions and comments are welcome (and appreciated!) I love hearing how people view the story. The next chapter will be out soon! 


	4. The consequences of mixing water youkai ...

Thank you for those who have taken time to review! Here's the next chapter and I hope you all enjoy it. A note on this chapter- Since I am unsure what age Shippou actually is, and precisely what age his mentality is, I just decided to age him another 50 human years. This is not exact at all, but unless someone has a more scientific way of figuring out a youkai's age, it's good enough for this story. ^_^ 

Lady Pyro**: **In episode 75,a cat demon arc is introduced concerning an invasion that happened about fifty years prior. Inuyasha had just been sealed when the invasion started, so he doesn't know anything about it. Shippou states that he even doesn't know anything, and Inuyasha responds, "You were a kid then, that's why." So he has to be at least 50. Some stories say kitsune can live up to 900 years old, so for what he is, Shippou is quite young. :) 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

Chapter Three 

****

------------------------------------------

"Inuyasha!" 

Kagome's signature yell was heard echoing through the night, causing the hanyou to jump to his feet and run towards the source. _How could she get in trouble already?! She was just with me! _Expecting some sort of youkai or other equally horrific creature, he was quite baffled to see Kagome scrambling around the campsite, lifting everything in order to see under it. Miroku and Sango had looks of sleepy puzzlement as they watched. 

Hand dropping from Tetsusaiga, Inuyasha stared at the human girl. "What are you doing?" A thought struck him, "Tell me you didn't lose the Shikon Shards again!" 

"No! This is worse!" Kagome knelt and started removing things from her backpack. _What could be worse? _Inuyasha thought, but before he had time to voice the question, Kagome exclaimed, "I lost Shippou!" 

Sango frowned, shaking the last remnants of sleep from her as she rose to her feet, "I'm sure he's not lost, Kagome-chan. He probably couldn't sleep and went for a walk." 

Miroku nodded in agreement, adding sagely, "Sometimes men need time alone." 

Inuyasha just remained silent. _Why do they always have to go and say what I was gonna say? _

Kagome shook her head, turning to Inuyasha with a pleading look in her eyes, "Will you go find him? I would feel better if he wasn't alone out there. Especially feeling as he does." 

Inuyasha wanted to protest. He really did. Yet, something in Kagome's gaze halted the refusal on his tongue. Not that her look affected him. He just didn't want her to use The Word, which she would if he got her upset. Because that was all he was concerned about. Really. "Oh, Fine. I'll go find the runt." He turned away, but not so fast that he didn't see the relieved gratitude on Kagome's face. Feeling oddly lighthearted, his attempt at sounding grouchy didn't come out as harsh as he wanted, "Besides. None of us will get any sleep tonight if I don't." 

"Thank you, Inuyasha." Kagome smiled at his back, her voice quiet enough that only the hanyou managed to hear her. He spared a glance back at her, hesitating before offering a curt nod and heading in the direction he was certain Shippou had gone. 

As Inuyasha entered the woods, his nose was assaulted by a myriad of smells. It took him a moment to sort through them and figure out the precise way the fox youkai had gone. _Something about this is wrong. _The hanyou was not known for being the most intuitive of the group, but even he could sense it. He slowed, hand moving to his sword and ears and nose straining for whatever he could pick up. _There! _He smelled it. It was a youkai, definitely, but not Shippou. The scent mingled with the kitsune's, as if deliberately attempting to mask it. Inuyasha smirked. _A stupid youkai thinks it can throw me off its track? We'll see about that. _He continued on the invisible path that the scents were leading him on, tenaciously following the right smell through the forest. Inuyasha was nothing if not stubborn. 

--------------------------------------------

"Ahh...How refreshing." The young kitsune was offering the youkai more strength then she had hoped for. But then, young youkai always gave more life than those pathetic human children did. It wouldn't be too much longer now. The youkai had done this many times and had no remorse. It was her youth and beauty she was preserving, and that was far more important than those lives she took. She had already taken fifty years from the kitsune in her arms, and because he was youkai, she knew there was many more to take. Capturing other youkai was always such a boon, but one she rarely accomplished due to the fact that parents so often guarded them. 

"So you're the one responsible for Shippou's absence." The accusing voice cut through the youkai's revelry. Her eyes widened as she recognized the hanyou from earlier. He stood at the edge of the pool, the transformed Tetsusaiga at the ready. 

Releasing her grip on the kitsune, she offered Inuyasha a seductive smile, "There is no reason for weapons." Her eyes turned into fathomless pools of blue, her voice hypnotic, "No reason at all." 

"Feh! If you wanted to use those tricks, you should have tried Miroku!" Inuyasha was clearly unaffected by her attempts. His concern was for Shippou. He'd never admit it, but though he gave the kitsune a hard time, he actually liked the kid. He wasn't certain what the youkai had done to Shippou, but he knew it was bad. The fox was unconscious and his skin pale. Anger filled Inuyasha, his golden eyes sparking as he looked back to the youkai. "Picking on kids that can't defend themselves, huh? That's pathetic. I'll enjoy destroying you." 

Eyeing that giant sword, and the angry hanyou that wielded it, the youkai clearly decided that discretion was the better part of valor. She laughed, lifting a hand in quick motion, "I would love to indulge you, hanyou, but I object to being destroyed." Water from the pool rushed up in a tunnel around the woman...and Shippou.

Frustrated, and knowing he couldn't use Kaze no Kizu because Shippou was inside, Inuyasha lept into the air and slammed his sword against the wall of water. His reward was being thrown back onto the shore, completely drenched. The wall collapsed, the youkai having vanished. Yet, a solitary form remained laying on the rock. 

Inuyasha stared, dumbstruck at the sight before him. The little fox youkai was no longer little. In fact, if the hanyou had not been certain it was Shippou, he would doubt his own eyes. Before him was a tall young man-young, of course, being a relative term. His appearance seemed to imply the same age as Inuyasha if not a little older. The groan that escaped the kitsune's lips was by no means in the usual high-pitched note, but was instead a deep sound suspiciously close to a growl. 

His clothes had apparently ripped in the transformation from boy to man, leaving Shippou basically uncovered. Inuyasha's brow furrowed as he noticed the oddest thing of all- Shippou's legs. While the tail was still quite obviously present, Shippou's legs were no longer those of a fox. Instead, strong, human-style legs were shown beneath the tatters of what had been the kitsune's pants. His voice hushed from astonishment, Inuyasha said the only thing he could think to say, "Shippou?" 

****

------------------------------------------

I hope you enjoyed it and please review! Chapter four will be out soon. Any questions are welcome and I'll do my best to explain my reasoning on things. ^_^ 


	5. All around the Mulberry bush, the Hanyou...

Here's chapter four! I don't think there's anything I need to clarify for this chapter, but if anyone has any questions, ask away! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters. 

Chapter Four 

At his name, the kitsune's eyes fluttered open. He felt as if he had been hit with something. What was the term Kagome used? Oh. Right. A load of Bricks. That seemed to describe it nicely, not that Shippou really had an idea what bricks were. He stared straight into the night sky for a moment before finally looking around. When he saw Inuyasha, he inquired in a hoarse voice, "What happened?" At first, Shippou was certain someone had coincidentally said the same exact thing as him at the same exact time. That wasn't his voice. Green eyes darted around the area, desperately looking for someone else besides Inuyasha. 

For his part, Inuyasha wasn't being very helpful. He was too busy trying to figure out why the once tiny fox was now a great deal larger. He simply shrugged. 

Shippou scowled and struggled to sit up. It was then, he too, noticed his legs. _Am I sitting on someone? _But no, those legs were his. At least, they moved when he tried to move his own, so that was the only conclusion he could reach. It's said children are blessed with adaptability. That may be, but it was a little too soon for Shippou to accept the dawning realization in his head that everything about himself was larger. He let out a rather familiar high-pitched yelp that was not even slightly impeded by his new voice, "Agh! What happened?! Inuyasha, What the hell did you do?!?" 

Inuyasha slid Tetsusaiga into its sheath and folded his arms across his chest. "Feh! I saved your lousy hide, that's what!" 

Shippou ignored him, scrambling on all fours to the edge of the rock to look into his reflection in the water. What he saw almost knocked the breath out of him. Eyes that had once been exceptionally large in his face were now just the right size, narrowed and slanted upwards, giving the appearance of eternal mischievousness. His hair was a mess, as was to be expected, but he did notice that it was longer and from what he could tell, it was a slightly darker red. Baring his teeth, he noticed his fangs were sharper and lethal looking. His features were no longer the adorable ones of youth by any means. The image staring back at him was sly and -in Shippou's opinion- rather handsome. _I look like my father,_ Shippou thought in satisfaction. 

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Inuyasha watched Shippou admire his reflection, all the while trying to figure out how he was going to explain this to Kagome. _Uh. Yeah. You know how Youkai age slowly? Well. Shippou decided to be different. _ Somehow, he didn't think that was going to work. Inuyasha had already realized it would be impossible to track down the creature responsible for the entire situation. At least right now, anyway. The scent of the youkai had disappeared with the youkai. Sighing, he walked over and yanked the kitsune to his feet, "Come on. The others are waiting." Taking in Shippou's appearance once more, Inuyasha removed his red shirt and held it out to the fox. 

Shippou's tail twitched in annoyance, his teeth baring slightly. He looked about to respond to Inuyasha's bossiness with a few choice words of his own, but suddenly he took in the hanyou's words. "Kagome! I can't wait to show her!" He accepted the shirt, giving Inuyasha a puzzled glance. 

"Your clothes are ruined." If it had been just Miroku back at the camp, Inuyasha would have kept the shirt and let the kitsune go around uncovered. As it was, there was both Sango and Kagome to consider, and Inuyasha wasn't so dumb to delicate sensibilities as some might think. 

Shippou examined the shirt before making a decision and wrapping it around his waist so that all essential parts were covered. Wordlessly, Inuyasha entered the woods, leaving Shippou to scramble after him. 

They walked in companionable silence, each content to keep to their own thoughts. Inuyasha's were still focussed on how he was going to explain this mess to Kagome while Shippou's were, not surprisingly, still dwelling on his new form. He was fortunate for being what he was, he decided. Having shape-shifted since he was very young, he was relatively used to handling the demands of getting used to a new body. He had no trouble walking on his new legs, nor did he feel incapable of managing his sudden height. Yes, he certainly was lucky! 

Unfortunately, despite his physical appearance, his maturity level was left relatively untouched. As he was reflecting on how lucky he was, his thoughts took an abrupt switch to Kagome. _She'll be surprised!_ It did not occur to him that her surprise could possibly be negative. How could it be? He was delighted! His newly man-sized chest swelled with not-so-new childish pride. In fairness to the kitsune, any child with such sterling role models as Inuyasha and Miroku would be hard pressed to avoid pride. So lost in his thoughts was he that he didn't realize Inuyasha had come to a halt in front of him.

"Watch it, Shippou!" Inuyasha growled as Shippou ran straight into him. The hanyou was in a grumpy mood. Being sent out to find a kid and returning with something that was decidedly NOT a kid could do that to a person- even a half dog demon. Out of habit, he reached to smack Shippou, but to his surprise, his hand connected with thin air. Startled, he turned fully to regard the kitsune...only to find he was no longer behind him. 

"Hah!" Shippou's laugh of triumph came from where he was sitting comfortably on a limb of a tree above the hanyou, "Too slow, Inuyasha!" The kitsune's eyes glinted mischievously, his lips pulled back in a merry smirk. 

The warrior on the ground was not amused. In the slightest. "Get down from there." _So I can kill you. Or at least cut off your tail. _The last was added mentally, as he was well aware that the sentiment would not serve his purposes in the slightest. The purpose being, of course, to get Shippou out of that tree. 

Shippou, however, wasn't inclined to come down and in a flash he was on his feet, balancing easily on the branch. A grin spread across his face, "I always wanted to try this!" Before Inuyasha could even fathom what 'this' was, Shippou had leaped nimbly to a branch in a nearby tree. In this manner, he proceeded to make his way back towards the campsite. 

_There's going to be hell to pay if he gets back there before me. _Inuyasha winced at the unwanted images in his head, most pertaining to a thousand "Sits" in a row. "SHIPPOU!" He followed the jumping fox at a run, ducking around trees as he tried to keep Shippou in sight. As he was running, the full impact of what had happened smacked him upside the head. A tree branch did as well, but he ignored that. _We're dealing with a grown kitsune! _

-------------------------------------------

So, now's the time for mischief! Any ideas you have for things you could see Shippou doing now that he has full kitsune power are welcome. I may or may not use them, but they're sure to give inspiration for havoc! Please review and I'll get the next chapter out as soon as I can. 


	6. The Fox and the Dog

Well, chapter five actually ranks as my longest chapter in this story so far. Thank you for those who have been reviewing, its for you that I've managed to get out a chapter a day. ^_^ I have a pretty good idea where I'm headed in this story, and what I want to see accomplished, but that doesn't mean I'm not completely open to suggestions! So comments/suggestions/questions are quite welcome. I hope you enjoy the chapter! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

--------------------------------

****

Chapter Five 

It may require some explanation as for why the thought of a grown kitsune presented such a problem to Inuyasha. Kitsunes were some of the most mischievous beings of all. They enjoyed trickery of any kind and nothing made a kitsune happier than confusing someone thoroughly. It was an all too common story to hear of a kitsune appearing as a beautiful woman and leading men deep in to the woods. Once the man was good and lost, the kitsune would reveal itself and run off laughing. Both male and female kitsunes had been known to do it. In other words, they were Miroku's worst nightmares. They were also capable of doing quite a lot of damage in their quest for amusement and possessed formidable powers of their own. 

It's not that kitsunes were spiteful creatures. Not at all. But that really made it worse for Inuyasha. Other youkai were malevolent and he could kill them without compunction. He couldn't do this with a kitsune. Not that he would actually consider killing Shippou. He really wouldn't, despite how much he was amusing himself with the images of doing just that as he chased after the fox youkai. 

Looking ahead, Inuyasha could see the dim light of the campfire. He cursed under his breath as he saw the black figure of the kitsune drop down from the trees. Shippou was still a good length before him. 

Said kitsune was rather pleased with himself for outdistancing the hanyou. It was the ancient vanity dating back to the time when a fox first outran a dog. He darted towards the campsite, but halted outside of the ring of light the fire cast. Appearance mattered greatly- any kitsune worth anything knew this. Theirs was a life of illusion, and often appearance alone was enough to convince most creatures of average intelligence. He lingered there in the shadows, considering his attire. His features had changed and he was looking to impress his friends. Thus, it stood to reason that he could by no means walk out with Inuyasha's shirt tied around his waist! 

Searching his mind, he stumbled across an idea. _It could work._ He wasn't certain, but it was conceivable. He definitely did not have time to stand here and debate the matter with Inuyasha hot on his heels. Having made his decision, and yet being not entirely sure how to go about it, he concentrated hard. This should have been child's play- pardon the pun- but with so many changes he was beginning to doubt abilities he already knew he possessed. Screwing his face into a scowl that made his mature face look quite immature indeed, he told himself to relax. In a flash, he was clothed in clothes of his choosing and holding Inuyasha's shirt in his hand. An impish grin spread across his features. _Nothing to it._ Clothes weren't difficult. He had done it before when he shape-shifted into Kouga and Kagome. _Why did I doubt myself? _

"Shippou!" Inuyasha's voice interrupted the kitsune's thoughts at the same moment Shippou felt something slam into him. Both he and the hanyou went tumbling in a heap into the lit area, much to the other's surprise. 

"You lousy runt!" The first epithet was hurled by Inuyasha as he struggled for dominance in the tussle. 

"Hah! Dogface!" 

"Nuisance!" 

"Am not, puppy!" 

"Don't you go start using that wimpy wolf's insults!" 

Kagome stared, wide eyed, at the two. A startled yelp escaped her as she scrambled backwards in an attempt to avoid having two canine demons fall on her. Unfortunately, the attempt resulted in her backing right into Miroku's lap. Her eyes widened further as she let out a sound close to a growl. Miroku, however, made no sound at the flash of sudden pain, instead handling the red handprint on his cheek with the usual forbearance and attempt at an innocent look. 

Had Inuyasha been paying attention, he might have given Miroku quite a bit more pain to handle. He was too busy trying to strangle the kitsune- or at least knock him senseless- to pay attention to anything else. Shippou's objective seemed to be to do the same to Inuyasha. Though the fox was larger now and more capable of defending himself, his powers did not lie in the brute strength required in such a situation. As a result, he was losing. 

"Inuyasha.... Where's Shippou?" Sango was doing her best to ignore the lecherous monk, instead keeping her eyes on the fight. Inuyasha had now managed to trap the other youkai under him. He froze at Sango's words, fist poised in the air for a blow that would have landed right on the kitsune's jaw. The hanyou winced, lifting guilty eyes to the demon exterminator. 

Since the two fighters were now frozen, Kagome managed to get a good look at both of them. What she saw caused her to gasp out, "Tell me that's not..." 

Miroku walked a bit closer, leaning over to examine Shippou, still trapped under Inuyasha as he had yet to move. "Shippou? It would appear so... except he looks..." The monk searched for the most appropriate word, but ended up finishing lamely, "Older." 

Inuyasha winced once more as his eyes shifted to Kagome's stunned expression. _Hello 'sit'. _He slowly lowered his fist and rose to his feet. Shippou followed suit, looking smug as he dusted off his clothes. 

"Isn't it great?" It really was a rhetorical question in Shippou's mind. He did not require an answer as he already knew it was wonderful and fully expected Kagome and the others to feel the same way. 

From their shocked expressions, they didn't know _what_ to feel. Kagome approached Shippou slowly, her face uncertain. The thing that truly hit the realization home the hardest was having to tilt her head upward to see those familiar green eyes. The extra effort was well worth it, since the eyes were what managed to convince her. It had to be Shippou. "What happened to you?" The question was spoken before Kagome could possibly realize how negative it sounded. 

Hurt flickered in those green eyes at Kagome's words. Her approval was important to him, and her seeming lack of it wounded the kitsune. Had he reflected on it, he would have realized that the hurt was proof that he was not truly an adult kitsune at all. He was still a child, just trapped in a body that was much older. "I thought," He began hesitantly, looking a bit lost, "You would be happy." 

Hearing such childish words, even though they were said in that deep voice, Kagome was instantly called into the present. _This is Shippou! _She reminded herself, _Not some strange youkai. _This was still the child who clung to her in delight when she brought him candy- and her words had hurt him. Impulsively, she stepped forward and embraced the kitsune tightly. 

Inuyasha _almost_ protested. It took all his will power not to growl out his displeasure. _That is Shippou._ This was his chant as he tried to push away the unexplainable discomfort at seeing Kagome in another man's arms. _That is Shippou. That is Shippou. Inuyasha, old buddy, that's Shippou. I refuse to be jealous of the runt. I just do. That goes against all my principals. Not that I have reason to be jealous at all. Cuz I don't. I don't care. But I refuse to be jealous of him. That's Shippou... _

Shippou stiffened in surprise at Kagome's actions. The kitsune instincts had just grown since his body had changed, and they clamored for him to free himself from the human's arms. Embraces were too much like cages, and kitsune hated cages! He forced his instinct to be quiet, instead returning the hug. It was odd, being hugged this way by her. To realize he was now taller than Kagome and he as able to rest his chin on her hair as he held her. It was really _him_ holding _her_ too, not the other way around as it had always been before.

All right, the hug was officially lasting too long in Inuyasha's opinion. Never mind that it was 'too long' the moment Kagome had touched the kitsune. The hanyou cleared his throat, catching Kagome's attention and causing her to pull away from Shippou to regard him inquisitively. "A youkai did it." She asked the question after all, so he was just supplying the answer. Trying to move things along quickly. Ending the hug had nothing to do with his timing. 

Miroku spoke up, "What sort of a youkai is capable of that?" 

"Does it matter?" Inuyasha questioned irritably, "We need to find it... and kill it... so that Shippou goes back to normal." It seemed a perfect plan in his head. 

"Who says I wanna go back to normal?" Shippou's protest was ignored by all. 

With his usual patience, Miroku explained, "We do not know if just killing the creature will return Shippou to his former body. We cannot afford to kill it and be wrong." 

Shippou interjected once more, "There is no need to go after the youkai at all!" And yet, once again, he was ignored. 

Sango moved to stand next to Miroku, "I agree with Hoshi-sama. We need to be careful." 

Inuyasha didn't like being 'careful'. He never had. 'Careful' took time, and despite spending fifty years sealed to a tree, he was not the most patient of creatures. He sought an ally in Kagome, only to see that she, too, was nodding in agreement with the others. _Feh. Who needs her. _ Shippou was oddly silent. Giving up, the hanyou snarled, "Fine. But don't come whining to me if Shippou gets stuck that way." He turned and headed to the tree was sleeping in earlier, thoroughly irritated. 

Shippou couldn't help but smile, his crafty mind at work. _Waiting means I'll have more time to prove that I'm better this way. I'll show them, I will! _

--------------------------------

Please review! The next chapter shall hopefully be out soon, though I'm having a little trouble on it, so we'll see. ^_^* 


	7. Revenge of the Kitsune

I'm a bit apprehensive about this chapter. It didn't turn out quite the way I wanted it to, but I was having difficulty with it. I might end up coming back and rewording it and changing it at some later point. ^_^ Any reviews with suggestions or even impressions on this chapter would be appreciated. I hope you all enjoy it though! 

----------------------------------

****

Chapter 6

__

"Trust not too much to appearances."-Virgil 

They sat around the fire for a bit longer, discussing what their immediate plans would be. It was eventually decided that they would go and discuss the fiasco with Kaede and see what advice she could give. This was met with a snort of derision by Inuyasha, who had, for unknown reasons, chosen to spend the night in a tree closer than the one before. "As if that old hag would know anything." He was, of course, still of the mind that simply killing the youkai responsible would bring Shippou back to normal. 

Shippou was actually inclined to agree that Inuyasha's plan would indeed reap the desired results, but he certainly wasn't going to say it. As he wanted to stay how he was, it would not serve his purposes to support the hanyou's idea. The imprudence he had in youth was now tempered by increased kitsune instincts. If there is one thing a kitsune knew, it was how to guard their own interests. 

Miroku simply ignored Inuyasha's mutter, as if he hadn't spoken at all. "Perhaps we should get some sleep if we are to travel to Kaede's village tomorrow." The exhausted group quickly agreed to this suggestion. Even Shippou, who was still excited over the recent developments, admitted to himself that he was tired. 

The others settled down to sleep, including Inuyasha in his tree. Shippou waited for Kagome to lie down, then plopped down next to her and snuggled close as he always had done. Why should his sleeping habits change? 

Kagome stiffened at feeling the kitsune so close, her voice odd as she questioned, "Shippou?" 

"Hm?" He answered sleepily, not opening his eyes and too exhausted to notice Kagome's discomfort. 

"What the hell do you think you are doing, runt!?" Shippou barely had time to realize _that _was _not_ Kagome's voice before he was lifted into the air roughly. Confused green eyes stared into the flashing gold eyes of the hanyou. 

"I was trying to get some sleep!" 

"Not that close to Kagome, you weren't!" The chant Inuyasha had repeated in his head earlier had completely dispersed into nothing. It didn't matter if it was Shippou. A man was not going to sleep snuggled next to Kagome! _Not unless that man is... Argh! Stop it! _Inuyasha cut that line of reasoning off immediately. 

Shippou stared at Inuyasha as if he had two heads. Of course, that wasn't incredibly unusual in that time, but that was beside the point. "I always sleep with Kagome," He pointed out, as if Inuyasha was just being slow on the uptake. In his mind, he could see no reason why Inuyasha was acting so oddly. Sending a puzzled glance down at Kagome, his confusion was merely increased when he saw that her cheeks were a bright red and she wouldn't meet his gaze. 

"Not anymore you don't." Inuyasha dropped Shippou on the ground a good ten feet away from Kagome. "You sleep over here, and no closer." The command was growled out, Inuyasha barely keeping his temper leashed. 

Stunned, Shippou sat on the ground where had been dropped, trying to fathom what had just happened. Miroku decided to have mercy on him, moving to sit next to Shippou as Inuyasha returned to his tree. 

"Inuyasha objects because you no longer appear a child." The monk explained in that sage, I-know-everything-because-I'm-me manner of his. "He does not like other men near her, just as he objects to Kouga." 

The kitsune's eyes widened in comprehension and astonishment, "Are you saying Inuyasha is jealous of me?" The idea was almost ludicrous to believe. Yet, Shippou now recalled that he had seen that expression on Inuyasha's face before...whenever the youkai wolf leader was nearby. Seeing the dawning realization on Shippou's face, Miroku felt no need to answer. He gave a cryptic smile as he rose to his feet and smoothed out his robes, leaving the kitsune to his own thoughts. 

Though he was still irritated at Inuyasha's behavior, Shippou could not help the tiny amusement at his core. Such was the kitsune way. Succeeding in riling someone was something to be proud of. Not that Inuyasha was hard to rile. 

Yet, despite the amusement, he was still angry at being treated that way. Especially when his actions had a sheerly innocent intent. He could not let this drop so easily. Furrowing his brow, he stared down at the dirt as he thought on how he could repay the action. If anyone else had seen the grin that curved his lips, they would be surprised that the once adorable and innocent child could look quite that devilish. The look was fitting. A kitsune seeking revenge could be quite devilish indeed. 

----------------------------------

Inuyasha shifted position in the tree, too restless to sleep. He was rather disturbed by the way he reacted to Shippou earlier. Not, mind you, that he regretted it or felt guilty. He was more concerned over his possessive feelings for Kagome that prompted it. _Damn. I care. _The hanyou's head thudded hard against the trunk of the tree at the realization. He closed his eyes, as if in pain, and let out a defeated sigh. 

It is the nature of things that one always makes such revelations when one does not have time to truly ponder them. Such was the case now. As soon as the warrior's eyes had fluttered shut, he heard a low hiss from the ground. Cursing himself for allowing his thoughts to distract him, he lept down from the branch and came face to face with a giant serpent youkai. While not the largest Inuyasha had ever seen, the creature was still formidable in appearance. Its scales glinted in the moonlight, the light also illuminating two glistening fangs. Sparing a glance to the others, Inuyasha was stunned to see that they were still fast asleep. _How the hell can they sleep through something like this? _

Pushing the enigma aside, Inuyasha turned a cocky smirk to the youkai. His frustration from earlier would be well taken care of by killing the snake. Yet, in the back of his brain, the feeling that something was wrong demanded that he listen. That, too, was pushed aside, something that he would regret later. 

The hanyou lept into the air, the Tetsusaiga held above him. He brought it down with a mighty swing- one that Sesshoumaru would no doubt think used excessive and unnecessary force for the situation. Still, such a swing should have served its purpose. Yet, the sword hit dirt. It left a rather large hole in said dirt, but it was unlikely the ground was horribly impressed or even bothered by it. Surprised, Inuyasha turned sharply to see that the serpent was now behind him. _How did he move that fast? _

He didn't have time to contemplate it as he was forced to dodge when the serpent suddenly lunged at him. The serpent seemed to be predicting such a move, for its tail whipped forward and hit Inuyasha firmly in the stomach, sending him flying backwards. Landing ignominiously on his backside, Inuyasha quickly rose to his feet. "That's it!" 

The snarled comment was quickly followed by a loud exclamation, "Kaze no Kizu!" The power surged forth from Inuyasha's sword, hitting the youkai straight on and obliterating it. The cry also managed to wake the others. Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Kirara were all staring at Inuyasha as if he was mad. 

"Inuyasha, what are you doing?" Kagome inquired, looking a bit apprehensive. 

For his part, Inuyasha looked disgusted, "Getting rid of the youkai that you all managed to sleep through." 

"Youkai?" This time the question was from the entire group looking on. They turned their gaze to the place where the youkai once stood, only seeing the claw-like marks in the ground from Inuyasha's attack. 

The kitsune could contain his laughter no longer. It rang out loudly as he lept down from the nearby tree, casually picking up a small snake carved from wood...from precisely the same point where Inuyasha's youkai had been. Shippou tossed the toy back and forth in his hands, offering innocently, "Perhaps you were dreaming." Innocent though his tone attempted to be, his smile was pure mischief. The smile faded as he saw the dawning anger on the hanyou's face. Inuyasha looked downright murderous. The kitsune did what all foxes are good at- he ran. 

----------------------------------

I will hopefully have the next chapter out in the next couple days. And just to explain, before someone asks, the snake youkai was an illusion –just- on Inuyasha. The others couldn't see or hear it. Hence their reactions. Please review! 


	8. The Tale of the Tail

I apologize that it took me longer than expected to get this chapter out. I'd like to say a big thank you to those who have reviewed. When I was getting frustrated with parts of this chapter, the comments cheered me up. ^_^ 

So please enjoy, and if you do (or even if you just have some helpful suggestions), Review! 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

****

--------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Seven 

Shippou was, once again, very pleased with himself. Inuyasha had chased the kitsune into the forest in his anger, forgetting that Shippou seemed to be more agile in those surroundings. A strategic mistake, really. Shippou quite easily got ahead of the hanyou so that Inuyasha's only recourse was to try to sniff the fox youkai out. This would have worked wonderfully, if not for the fact that Shippou's scent had soon become so confused that Inuyasha was left standing in the middle of the woods, having no idea where Shippou had gone. He had fallen prey to the trap of many dogs before him. Like all crafty foxes, the kitsune knew how to backtrack and create false leads. Trickery was in his blood. Inuyasha, though while more intelligent than many gave him credit for, had no prayer against a kitsune who was afraid of being caught. Shippou's tail swished back and forth as he made his way back to the campsite. To say he was smug was an understatement. 

Within ten minutes of being back at the camp, however, he was no longer so smug. Kagome had actually lectured him. _Lectured _him. She was _upset _with him. Shippou sat on the banks of the river, examining the reflection of the stars on the water. He couldn't recall a time when she had ever been this upset with him. 

__

"That youkai could have actually harmed Inuyasha, Shippou! When he gets back, you should apologize." Kagome had looked so disappointed in him. "You know his pride. It was a mean trick to play." 

Apologize?! Did she actually expect him to be sincere in that apology? Shippou tossed a stone into the water, the resulting ripples distorting the diamond-like images. On Kagome's advice, the kitsune was staying down here until Inuyasha managed to cool down. The curses that came from the hanyou when he finally got back almost caused even Miroku to blush. Shippou had wisely concluded that now was not the time to even speak with Inuyasha, let alone offer an apology. 

The kitsune flopped back onto the grass with a sigh. Kagome was getting angry with him... was this foreshadowing of what was to come? _Maybe it's not so great being..._Shippou stopped that thought. It was absurd. Just because Kagome got irritated with him signified nothing. No one had gotten much sleep, and the sun was already beginning to rise on the horizon, hiding the stars. She was just cranky. So what if crankiness for Kagome was rare? It could happen. Miroku and Sango had just found the entire incident funny, so it couldn't have been that bad. He turned on his side, watching the others began to stir. Today they would go to Kaede's village and see what she thought. 

------------------------------

It seemed impossible for the group to have a chance to handle one problem at a time. Just as they started off towards Kaede's village, Kagome got a strong sense of a Shikon shard. She, Inuyasha, and Sango decided to hunt it down while Miroku volunteered to accompany Shippou to the village. Miroku's choice, of course, had nothing to do with the pretty young ladies of the village. 

As the others left, Miroku gave Shippou a sidelong glance that was filled with anticipation, "Ready to go, Shippou?" 

The kitsune was a bit apprehensive about what that look meant. In truth, he was fonder of Miroku than he was of Inuyasha. Miroku never hit him or treated him like he was stupid. Still, he knew the monk didn't have the best habits. Kagome and Sango were always telling Shippou not to grow up and be like Miroku. Of course, Shippou was grown up and he had hardly changed a bit, but somehow he was fairly certain that wasn't what they meant. 

Shippou had good reason to be apprehensive. Miroku was what later would be known in society as a rake...a cad...a 'connoisseur' of women. In short, Miroku liked women and they liked him. The kitsune understood an appreciation of women. He had had his crushes in their journeys. Yet, how Miroku could so obviously care for Sango and yet continue asking virtual strangers to bear his child was beyond the youkai. 

He was still mulling this over as they entered the town. Miroku waved cheerfully to the villagers, appraising the young women as they went. Not that there was any new women in the village since the last time they visited, but occasionally the monk needed to remind himself of what was available. Shippou could almost tangibly feel the stare of the villagers. He tilted his head downward to allow his hair to shadow his eyes, casting cautious looks around to see who precisely was watching him. To his amazement, they seemed to have a running theme -they were female. He shifted uneasily, whispering furtively to Miroku, "Why are all those girls staring at me?" 

"They aren't," was the monk's reply, "They're staring at me." But even Miroku wasn't that obtuse. He glanced around, then added begrudgingly, "It's probably your tail." 

Said tail twitched at being referenced. Shippou looked over his shoulder, straining to see the allure of his tail. It was just a tail. Lots of youkai had them. Heck, even all the dogs and cats Shippou had ever known had them. Well. There was that one...but the kitsune always assumed the tomcat did indeed once have a tail. Finally, he stated doubtfully, "I don't think it's my tail." 

"Who understands women more, Shippou? It's your tail." After all, Miroku couldn't compete with a tail. If it was the tail, then his pride could remain in tact. 

Shippou's only response was another doubtful look to the monk. Still, Miroku was right. He didn't have much experience with women. Maybe it _was_ the tail. _Maybe human women just have a strange fascination with tails. _The kitsune felt the odd impulse to hide his from their prying eyes. 

"Do you really think he's kitsune?" Strains of conversation of a nearby cluster of women reached Shippou's ears. He lingered, though not too noticeably, in order to hear more. 

"He has to be! They have that fox beauty, you know? He's too handsome to be human!" 

__

Handsome? So it's not just the tail! 

"Besides, he's got a tail!" 

__

…It's the tail. 

****

--------------------------------------------------------

I hope you liked it! Please review with any thoughts or comments. I will try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. 


	9. Kirara Changes her Status

Finally got a little Kagome/Inuyasha romance in this chapter, though it isn't much. I'm trying to maintain a balance and to keep the emphasis on Shippou and his situation as opposed to the relationship between Kagome and Inuyasha. Let me know if you think I am, or am not, doing this. Or even if you think this attempt at romance is so pitiful that I should just leave it out for the remainder of this story ::clears her throat and looks sheepish:: 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter Eight 

Inuyasha was sulking. Of course, had Kagome pointed that out to him, he would immediately deny it. But he was. That was apparent to everyone else besides the hanyou. He sat on the banks of a cliff, staring out over the land with his dog ears slightly drooping.

Inuyasha's mood did not deter Kagome from approaching with her usual cheerfulness, "Inuyasha, you aren't still upset about Sango killing the demon without your help, are you?" 

"Keh!" was his only response, but he spared a glance towards a nearby hut. Sango was inside, busy avoiding Inuyasha's bad mood. Mostly because she had been in a bad mood all day too. The hanyou returned his gaze to the land, explaining, "When she's in this temper, she fights well. I'm not upset." 

A mischievous smile curved Kagome's lips as she moved to sit down next to him, "You know why she's in this mood, don't you?" 

"Don't really care." A pause. Curiosity, as always, got the better of him. _But I still don't really care._ "Why?" 

"She doesn't like Miroku being there without her when there are other women around." It was stated matter-of-factly, as if Kagome wasn't quite sure how Inuyasha could not already know. Everyone else did, after all. Even Miroku and Sango knew it, or at least they _would_, if they weren't so intent on denying it. 

Ever obtuse, Inuyasha retorted, "You keep saying she _likes _that perverted monk, but I ain't seeing it." 

"How can you not see it?" Kagome gave the hanyou an exasperated look, "And Miroku likes her too." 

That comment garnered a derisive snort, a well as a sneer, "The monk likes every female with two legs and a pair of..." Inuyasha stopped short at the look in Kagome's eyes. _Uh oh. _

"Inuyasha..." The girl began, and the hanyou had no doubt what was coming. In a move of desperation, he lept to cover Kagome's mouth with a clawed hand. Startled brown eyes simply blinked at the hanyou. 

"Don't say it." It was an unnecessary command, as Kagome could hardly say anything with her mouth covered. She just continued blinking at him. Inuyasha then realized what Kagome had noticed from the beginning. He was rather close to her. Why he should notice it now, when she often rode on his back and he never really noticed it then, was a great mystery. Whatever the reason, Inuyasha found himself savoring it. Still, realizing his odd behavior would soon cause suspicion, he questioned softly, "Do you promise not to say it?" 

A mute nod was his only answer. Inuyasha lowered his hand reluctantly, as if expecting that he was going to be sitted at any moment. That, of course, wasn't the whole reason behind his unhurried movements. He rather liked the soft light in Kagome's eyes when he was this close to her and knew the second his hand was completely down he'd have no excuse to stay there. 

With her mouth uncovered, Kagome whispered once more, "Inuyasha..." This wasn't the irate usage of his name that always proceeded The Word. The hanyou shifted slightly closer, the lids of his eyes lowering. Kagome felt a thrill of anticipation, lifting her face towards his. He would just need to lower his head a little bit more to kiss her, and it appeared that was just what he was intending. 

A soft mewling broke the spell and both Inuyasha and Kagome scrambled backwards, looking around frantically for the source of the noise. Kirara stared at them with wide, innocent eyes, and let out another tiny meow. With cheeks the same color as Inuyasha's clothes, Kagome rose to her feet. "I'm... going to go check on Sango." Inuyasha nodded, his cheeks also a dull red. 

He turned to look at Kirara again, only to see that the cat youkai was already gone. All right, he took it back. Kirara was officially a burden. 

-----------------------------------------------------------

Even though Miroku's main reason for deciding to accompany Shippou was obviously for pleasant reasons, he was determined to fulfill the more serious duty of finding out a cure for Shippou first. Oddly enough, his sense of duty was merely increased by witnessing the attention the kitsune got from the young ladies of the town. Unfortunately, speaking with Kaede presented another unwelcome duty for the monk: He had to tell the others that Inuyasha was right and that Kaede also thought that the only way to cure Shippou would be to hunt down the youkai responsible and kill it. The reason he dreaded it so was because Inuyasha liked to gloat when he was proven right. _Who can blame him? It's such a rare occurrence for him,_ Miroku thought wryly. 

Looking back to Kaede, the monk inquired, "You are absolutely certain that killing the youkai is the only way to change him back?" Perhaps he was still hopeful that he could provide some wonderful, intelligent way with which to impress Sango. One, preferably, that Inuyasha did not come up with first. 

"I am as certain as I can possibly be," responded the old miko. 

"Ah." The monk paused, considered her answer for a moment, then tenaciously pressed, "And when you say certain, you really do mean certain?" 

"...Yes." Kaede seemed to understand the crestfallen look on Miroku's face and with a sigh, offered, "Show me the child and we shall make sure." 

It should have been an easy request to grant. However, Miroku wasn't quite certain where Shippou was. He had lost him earlier in the village, and didn't search him out again because he wanted to get the business portion of the trip over with so he could focus on more...ahem... pleasurable things. This didn't stop him from inclining his head and acting like he could take the miko directly to the kitsune. Of course not. He had a reputation to maintain. No matter how black Sango and Kagome thought it was. 

Fortunately for Miroku-and Miroku's pride- a high-pitched yelp raised over the chatter of the villagers just as Kaede and Miroku stepped out onto the dusty road. Miroku recognized that screeching yell. It was Shippou. There was no doubt about it. 

-----------------------------------------------

So, what do you think? Please review! 


	10. A Lesson in Kitsune Grooming

****

Chapter Nine 

Some youkai had the capability to kill with a look. Unfortunately for Shippou, he wasn't one of them. However, if he was, Miroku would have been slowly dying for the last half hour since they staged a strategic retreat to Kaede's hut. The hut's owner was currently looking through her scrolls for any information on the type of youkai who could turn a child into an adult. 

Miroku, who had seen some pretty dark looks in his day and lived to tell about them, was actually getting rather uncomfortable under the kitsune's black stare. He sighed, fidgeted, then turned to face him, "You could have run, you know. You cannot blame me for this entire incident." 

__

Wanna bet? "You abandoned me to those insane women." 

"I fail to see the problem. Most men would appreciate being abandoned to those women," The monk attempted to justify, "In fact, _I _would have appreciated it." Miroku wouldn't have minded being with those women now, but Shippou refused to step foot outside the hut. 

"You don't have a tail." 

Miroku winced. "This is true. But really, no harm was done, so I fail to see why you are still nursing a grudge." 

The kitsune lost his temper. Many youkai would have lost theirs sooner, but Shippou was attempting to hold on to his. No more. In a quick move, he grabbed Miroku by the front of his robes, baring his fangs. Miroku wasn't expecting it and as a result could only stare back at him. Despite his outward appearance of anger, Shippou spoke in a cool voice that would have made even Sesshoumaru proud, "You do realize they were trying to braid my tail." He paused, then reiterated as if Miroku had trouble grasping the concept. "_Braid _my _tail. _The tail is off limits. Kitsune _do not_ like their tails braided." Towards the end of his words, a growl had found its way into Shippou's tone, lessening the cool, composed image. But it _had_ been an extremely close call. Those lunatics were considering decorating each tiny braid with a ribbon once they were done. Perhaps he was most exasperated by the fact he couldn't even defend himself against the women, due to the fact that they were human and Kagome said to always be gentle with humans. "We do not sit around having tail braiding sessions as we consider who to trick next!" 

Miroku hadn't thought they did. That would be extremely odd of them. But before he could even respond to the kitsune's statements, Kagome stepped into the hut. She halted in confusion when she saw the death grip Shippou seemed to have Miroku's robes, staring at them from the entrance. Usually, when people enter a place, they do not stop directly in the doorway. Considering this, Sango could hardly be blamed for not realizing that Kagome would be inclined to do so. She collided into Kagome's back, sending both of them to the floor in a heap. Kirara only barely managed to get out of the way, letting out an indignant squeak at the two humans that were almost responsible for crushing her. This was the scene Inuyasha arrived at. Finding it rather amusing, he started laughing. Unfortunately, he found it slightly less amusing when he became friendlier with the ground at Kagome's annoyed use of The Word. Oddly enough, Kagome didn't seem to appreciate being laughed at. 

That, in itself, was really a shame, because now both the monk and the kitsune were laughing at the image the three of them presented, Shippou's grievance temporarily forgotten. He released Miroku's robes, moving to offer a hand to Kagome as Miroku offered to help Sango up. 

Kagome accepted the help, giving the kitsune an uncertain look, "What was going on between you two when I came in?" 

Shippou's tail -unbraided, thank you very much- twitched slightly as he offered Kagome a boyish grin of innocence, "We were having a disagreement." 

"Yes," The monk joined in, "A disagreement. That's all." He had a feeling that Shippou didn't want the others to know about the tail braiding incident. Miroku didn't either, because Sango and Kagome would probably skin him alive for letting Shippou out of his sight. So, he offered an 'innocent' grin almost an exact replica of Shippou's. 

Inuyasha, the poor neglected hanyou whom no one had thought to help up, entered the hut, ignoring Kagome entirely. Besides Kagome, Sango was the only one to notice it. It would have been impossible for the exterminator to miss, as both Kagome and Inuyasha had been pretending-to-ignore-that-the-other-one-was-ignoring-them all day as they traveled back to the village. For all his ignoring, however, the hanyou did see that Shippou was still holding Kagome's hands from when he helped her up. And he didn't like it. Inuyasha looked around the hut, finally spotting Kaede in the corner, who had not even glanced up when the kitsune and Miroku had their squabble. "So? How do we change Shippou back?" 

The question sobered Shippou's grin immediately and he dropped Kagome's hands. The kitsune turned away wordlessly, moving to sit in the corner of the room, as far from the fire as he could get. Perhaps he did not wish for his features to be easily readable. 

Kaede watched him move away silently before answering Inuyasha, "It would seem to me that the only way to cure Shippou would be to kill the youkai." She shrugged her shoulders, tending the fire as she continued, "But I cannot discern what sort of youkai is capable of doing such a thing." 

Kaede could have said that the youkai was the magical flying pink monkey from Transylvania for all that Inuyasha would notice. His limited amount of attention was focussed on her first sentence. A smug grin curved his lips, "So I was right!" He looked triumphantly at the other members of the group. "Admit it! I knew it, and you all just wasted time by insisting we come here. Shippou could already be back to normal if you had listened to me." 

Miroku stared blankly at Inuyasha. "Hm. Did you say something about killing the youkai? I don't recall that." He looked towards the others, dark eyes sparkling as he willed them to play along. 

To save themselves from Inuyasha's gloating, they seemed inclined to do so. The hanyou's jubilant expression was met with blank stares all around. All, that is, except for Shippou, who was watching from the corner, an amused grin quirking his lips. "Did you say so, Inuyasha?" Kagome murmured in a placating tone as she pawed through her bag, "Well, that was very wise of you." 

Sango offered a kind smile, the sort given when one was being patronizing, "If Inuyasha says he said so, then he must have." She refocused her attention on Kirara, who was purring contentedly in her lap.

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he barely resisted the impulse to stomp his foot, "I did say so." A sound suspiciously close to a growl came from deep within his throat, "You all remember too. You're just saying you don't to piss me off! Keh!" With that announcement, the hanyou stalked out of the hut, muttering curses all the while. 

Miroku remained straight faced as Inuyasha left, mildly commenting, "He really should work on that temper." What started as a low, rumbling chuckle evolved into loud laughter. 

Unable to help herself, Kagome joined in, though she did attempt to clear her conscience by stating, "That really was awful of us." Sango nodded in agreement, but that didn't stop her from laughing either. 

In fact, the only one that wasn't laughing in the hut was Shippou. The fact remained that Inuyasha was right, and now the rest of them knew it. It couldn't be too long before they decided to hunt down the youkai and return the kitsune to useless child form. Then Inuyasha would be able to hit him again, and he would be unable to stop him. He would be back to being the tag along instead of the useful member of the team that he could be as he was now if only the opportunity would present itself. Surrounded by his friends in the cozy hut, the kitsune suddenly felt very alone. 

----------------------------------

I'm not sure when the next chapter will be out as I'm having a serious writer's block on how to go about concluding the plot. So, I have to sit down and do some brainstorming before I can really write anything more. I mean, unless people don't mind another fluff-fairly-pointless-chapter that doesn't advance the main plot but is just fun. I could write another one of those, and would enjoy doing so, but I don't want to annoy people by having too many of them. A fluff chapter would of course be out sooner. Let me know what you all think and feel free to ask any questions (Who knows, maybe they'll help me to figure out how I want to go about this!) Thank you to everyone who has been reading so far and even more thanks goes to those who have left those encouraging reviews! 


	11. A Night for Realization

Since no one seemed to have a problem with a fluff chapter, I decided to go with it. I now know how precisely I want to conclude the story, so the next couple chapters will be among the last. Please read and review! Thank you to those who have already been reviewing. Some of you have absolutely no idea how much you have affected the story with just little things you said that gave me huge ideas. ^_^ 

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

--------

Chapter Ten 

__

"Without friends, no one would want to live, even if he had all other goods." – Aristotle

Inuyasha was sulking. Yes. Once again. It seemed to be a familiar habit of his lately. At least his scenery was changing, for this time he was sitting on top of Kaede's hut. The surroundings were not was pretty as a tree or a cliff, but they were at least _different. _That counted for something, didn't it? 

He wasn't sulking because of the others pretending that he didn't come up with the idea to kill the youkai. He found that it didn't matter. That, in itself, was a surprise. He was sulking because Kagome had refused to look at him all day. He couldn't help but think it was because he had almost kissed her. _Is she scared I'll try again? Is it really that dreadful of a thought to her? _Sure, he had ignored her too, but that was out of a childish desire for retaliation for her ignoring him first. To put it bluntly, Inuyasha's feelings were hurt. _No. No they're not. Youkai's feelings do not get hurt. They don't have real feelings._ Wasn't that what Sesshoumaru and his father had always told him? Still, Inuyasha wasn't completely youkai. _Could it be my human side that makes me so vulnerable? _It was plausible. 

Of course, what the hanyou failed to realize is that both Sesshoumaru and his father were failures as youkai if youkai weren't allowed to have feelings. In fact, all evidence pointed to the fact that youkai had feelings and alot of them. Did not Inuyasha's father fall in love with a human? Inuyasha was proof of it. Sesshoumaru felt compelled to save a human girl, which showed he was not as heartless as he pretended. Had Tensaiga been his only reason, he would cast aside the girl immediately, not allowed her to continue following him. Kouga was also a full youkai, yet he proclaimed to love Kagome. None of this occurred to Inuyasha. He was too lost in his own self-contempt to realize that he had been taunted with lies since childhood. Such is often the case with those who are forced into being outcasts. 

So, he sat on the roof. Alone. He had always been alone. That is, until Kikyo. Thinking of her caused an odd feeling to rise in his chest. It was something akin to guilt and to pain. He had loved her, or, at least, he thought he had. She had proclaimed to love him too. A hanyou. An outcast to both humans and youkai alike. It was perhaps one of the few things the two races had in common- a hatred for half-breeds. Hadn't even Kikyo wanted him to change to a human? No one wanted Inuyasha as he was. No one.

__

Except...maybe..Kagome. She accepted him. Didn't ask him to change. He had loved Kikyo...yet when he thought of Kagome, the feeling in his chest was quite different. Something clenched his heart everytime she smiled or said his name. That same heart felt like it was stopping when she would get herself into trouble. He felt...happy with her. He rarely felt happy in his life. Happiness in solitude is hard to find. Even Sesshoumaru chose to travel with companions. Jaken was annoying, but he had kept the youkai lord company for many long years. Perhaps even Sesshoumaru realized that isolation gave one too much time to think. It was dangerous, to have that much time to think. Most thoughts are not pleasant, and unpleasant thoughts can cause doubt in oneself. 

It didn't matter. Inuyasha wasn't alone anymore. Well, sure, he was at the moment, but under the roof he was sitting on were his friends. Friends. The plural of friend. He had more than one now. He considered this in silence as he stared up at the stars. Night was a time for thinking thoughts that he would never allow to see the light of day. His thoughts were disrupted when he heard the stirring of something down on the ground. He peeked over the edge of the roof, to see the main object of his ruminations looking up at him. Flustered, he was glad for the darkness that hid his red cheeks. "Kagome." Yes. That was her name. _Say something else, baka! _"What are you doing?" 

She offered a hesitant smile, causing that queer feeling in Inuyasha's chest to rise again. Her soft voice floated up to him, "Looking for you." 

Golden eyes blinked down at her as Inuyasha considered his response. Responding to an impulse born of something he would rather not examine too closely, he lept down to the ground, turning his back to her, "Come on."

"Come on what?" 

"Get on." 

"Where are we going?" 

Inuyasha was losing his patience and the impulsive idea seemed worse by the moment. "Just come on." This time, fortunately, Kagome obeyed. The hanyou ignored the feeling of her pressed to his back as he lept back up onto the roof of the hut. He knelt to allow the girl to get off more easily. "Be careful." He warned, "Don't fall." 

Kagome had no intention of falling. While certainly not fatal, a fall from the hut would at least result in a sore rear end. She gave Inuyasha a puzzled smile, but kept her hands on his arm to steady herself. "Why are we up here?" 

Inuyasha sat, silently helping Kagome do so as well before responding, "You said you were looking for me. I was up here. Now we're both up here." That would be called stating the obvious. Perhaps he just wanted her in his world for a while. Okay. So maybe a roof didn't warrant as a world, but it was a tiny little bit of it. 

"Oh. So what were you doing?" 

"Thinking." 

"About?" 

"Things." 

What illuminating responses. Realizing that the conversation was left in her hands, Kagome nibbled on her bottom lip-something Inuyasha did his best to ignore- then started quietly, "Inuyasha, are you..." She cut off the question, casting her gaze downwards.

It was a night for impulses. The hanyou gently slid a finger under Kagome's chin and grasped it, turning her head towards his. He couldn't control her eyes and make her look at him, but he could at least turn her head. "Am I what?" 

Frozen by his touch, Kagome found it near impossible to look away. "Are you upset about what.." Her cheeks flushed with color as she finished in one hurried breath, "whatalmosthappenedyesterday?" 

"I'm upset it didn't happen." _What the hell? Did I just say that out loud? DamnDamndamnDamnDamn..._

"So am I." 

__

DamnDamnDamnDa....huh? He stared dumbly at her, unable to believe she just responded that way. From the look on her face, she was just as startled by it. Apparently night was also the time for saying things that wouldn't normally be said in the light of day. Well, Inuyasha wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not that Kagome was in any way a horse. Because she wasn't. She was pretty and definitely not equine. Not that horses couldn't be pretty, but it was a cliche phrase. Not meant to be taken literally at all. 

He hesitated for a moment more before lowering his head to gently brush his lips against hers. It was an experimental touch, to see if she'd draw back. She didn't. In fact, she leaned forward. That was really all the permission Inuyasha needed. He deepened the kiss, drawing her close to him and savoring her warmth. Kikyo hadn't been warm when she kissed him. Kagome was fire compared to Kikyo. Kikyo wanted to drag him to hell, but he found the exact opposite in Kagome's kiss. He felt Kagome's hands in his hair, moving upwards to his..."No." He commanded in a hoarse and almost panicked voice, breaking the kiss and gently trapping her hand in his. She couldn't touch the ears. Especially when he was kissing her. That was asking for trouble. 

Kagome offered him a winsome smile, as if she understood, then snuggled closer to him, resting her head on his shoulder. Inuyasha felt oddly content just to hold her there, intertwining his fingers with hers. Lost in their own peace, it should be no surprise that neither of the two noticed the kitsune's departure from the hut and disappearance into the dark night.

-----------------------------------------

Well, I finally allowed them to kiss. ^_^ I made a vow when I started writing it that Inuyasha and Kagome would at least kiss in the story, and there you go! The next chapter should hopefully be out soon, now that I'm over my writer's block. Shippou doesn't have an easy path, or decision, ahead of him. 


	12. Flowers in the Night

I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter. It may seem a bit pointless, but it actually does play into the story line significantly. Thank you for those who have been reading and reviewing. It makes me very happy to know that others are enjoying it! 

Slyver-Ajah: I don't recall Inuyasha ever purring in the shows. I don't know if it'd make much sense if he did anyway, because he's a dog demon not a cat… but I do know it's a popular thing in fanfiction. It's always conceivable that it happened in the manga, which I haven't read. ^_^ Actually, in the shows, he tends to get irritated when people touch his ears, but that's normally because they're tugging on them and no animal wants their ears pulled. As for my reasoning behind her not touching the ears- Dogs like their ears being rubbed. At least, mine do, and I figured Inuyasha didn't need more temptation at the moment! 

****

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. Akina, however, is mine. 

--------------------------------

****

Chapter Eleven 

__

"In our extreme youth, in our most humiliating sorrow, we think we are alone. When we are older we find that others have suffered too."-Suzanne Moarny

Shippou had watched Kagome leave earlier and had no doubt where she was heading. Everyone had someone to talk to except him. Kaede, Miroku, and Sango were so involved in their discussion that they didn't see the kitsune leave either. _They were probably trying to figure out how to track down the youkai. _He thought bitterly, hands clenching at his sides. Often times children sneak off merely to try to call attention to themselves. In some secret part of himself, this was part of the kitsune's original reason for leaving. Sensibly, however, he told himself that it was because he wanted the solitude. If this really was the case, he would not have suffered that dismal twinge of sadness when no one saw or tried to stop him from leaving. He walked through the dirt streets aimlessly, the night's silence a soothing balm to his tormented heart. He had no idea of his destination nor did he really care. His feet simply kept moving and it was not long before he found himself in the fields outside the village. Shippou paused there, attempting to decide if he should turn around and go back or simply remain. It was then he heard a soft, muffled sob. 

Curious, he proceeded as quietly as possible, looking for the owner of the cries. The moon was bright enough that even without his youkai vision he could see a small girl sitting in the grass near the start of the forest. "Hey," his voice was gentle and cautious. He didn't want to startle the girl, "What are you doing out here by yourself?" 

She stared at him wordlessly through tear filled eyes that were slowly beginning to become dry. She was a pretty girl of about ten years. Her dark hair was braided into one long braid, tied with a light blue ribbon. The color of the ribbon was incongruous with her clothes, which were of the simple brown fabric so common to the villagers. "You're..." She smiled then, stating hesitantly, "You're a kitsune, aren't you?" 

He nodded slowly, tensing as he waited to see how she would respond. Children were better about the youkai thing than adults. In their innocence, they failed to see the danger of speaking with a youkai. The adults, in their ignorance, failed to conceive that not all youkai wished to eat them or devour their souls. The girl just continued to smile at him, apparently delighted with the chance to meet a real live kitsune. Said kitsune hesitated, then knelt so he was more of her height. The height change was still something that struck him as wonderful. To have to kneel to look into someone's eyes was amazing. "My name is Shippou." 

"I'm Akina," The girl offered, a shy blush on her cheeks. 

"Akina," Shippou repeated, shifting into a siting position. He gave an impish grin, one he was quite unaware was rather handsome on his mischievous features, "That's a very pretty name." 

The girl's cheeks flushed an even brighter red, but then something caught her attention. "Is that a tail?" She leaned forward to try and get a better look. 

Shippou's grin turned to a grimace and in a quick move, he produced a flower, holding it in front of the girl's face to distract her attention from the notorious tail. "Yes, it is. And I assume you know what this is?" 

Akina's face brightened as she examined the flower from afar, "How pretty!" The tears were almost invisible on her face now, something that made the kitsune very satisfied. 

"You may have it..." Shippou started, but lifted the flower out of Akina's reach when she attempted to take it, "...on one condition." 

Screwing her face up in consternation, the girl responded, "What condition?" 

Shippou tapped the flower on her nose, causing Akina to giggle, but she kept looking at him to see what he would say. "The condition that you tell me why you are out here alone." 

Akina frowned, but obliged him all the same, "I...wanted to be alone because Momma is mad at me. I was setting our dinner on the table...and accidentally spilled it all." New tears threatened, "Sometimes I feel like I can't do anything right. I always mess up when I try to help...I'm nothing but a nuisance." 

"I'm sure that's not true." He handed over the flower, as promised, but suddenly wished he had something else to cheer her up with. "But I understand. I feel the same way sometimes." That _sometimes_ had turned to _most of the time_ recently, but the kitsune intuitively knew that saying that wouldn't help matters. 

"You?" The girl stared at the young man disbelievingly, "But you're a youkai." 

__

Sigh. But instead of getting irritated, he inquired almost chidingly, "You think youkai can't have feelings?" 

Akina's eyes widened and she leaned forward to hurriedly take back her words, "I didn't mean it that way! I just mean... Momma told me that kitsune were smart...and fast...and…. and…" She stuttered, a blush coming over her cheeks before she admitted in childish innocence, "And handsome. You must be all of those things." 

An amused grin curved Shippou's lips and he gave a lofty shrug of his shoulders, "What if I didn't have this appearance… and wasn't as fast? Wouldn't that make me a nuisance?" He was smart. Had always been smart. The kitsune may be temporarily depressed, but he wasn't going to deny his intelligence. 

The girl shook her head, stubbornly insisting, "No. Because you're nice. And nice people can't be nuisances." She concluded triumphantly. It was that simple in her young mind. Shippou, who's way of thinking was hardly any older, was at loss as to how to respond. 

When he finally spoke, it was soft and kind, "You're nice too, so you also can't be a nuisance." Akina giggled, happy that she had gotten a compliment from a handsome young man. Well. Youkai. But he looked mostly like a man. Pleased that he had managed to pull the girl out of her sadness, he found that he had also managed to alleviate his own sorrows for the time being. He rose to his feet, "I had better get back to my friends. You should go back home." 

She hesitantly nodded, promising quietly, "I will soon. Thank you for the flower." She held onto the small blossom as if it were some sort of lifeline. The kitsune smiled, inclined his head ever so slightly, then turned and started back to Kaede's hut. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Please Review! The next chapter should be out soon. I'm thinking that this story should be done in at most 4 chapters. Most likely not even that many. We'll see! Shippou is one confused little kitsune right now, with a major decision coming up. The question is, will he make it before the consequences are too high? 


	13. A Kitsune's Fury

Thanks for this chapter goes to Saro for giving me the inspiration by a comment made in a review. ^_^ 

****

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. 

-----------------------------------------------

****

Chapter Twelve 

__

"The one who cannot restrain their anger will wish undone, what their temper and irritation prompted them to do."-Horace 

Having returned sometime during Shippou's absence, Kagome immediately noticed that the kitsune was not there, which riled her maternal instincts towards him. This put Inuyasha in a bad mood because Kagome was panicked, and he didn't like her being anything but happy. Especially after how well the night was going earlier. In his way of thinking, earlier should have warranted at _least_ three more hours of happiness. Sango, Miroku, and Kaede faced the problem calmly as they always did, attempting to reassure Kagome that Shippou was most likely fine. 

So intent was the group on reassuring, scowling, and pacing that none even noticed Shippou when he stepped into the hut. Well, not quite true, as Kirara did, and padded over to him. He picked the small two-tailed cat up with a soft, "Hey Kirara." The murmured phrase did what stomping and banging of drums might not have. It alerted the others to his presence. 

"Shippou!" This was exclaimed as one. 

"You little runt, where have you been?" Completely ignoring Inuyasha, Shippou didn't even blink at his comment.

"Kagome-chan was very worried about you Shippou, " Sango said, coming to take Kirara from the kitsune. Miroku and Kaede simply nodded, as Sango spoke for all three. 

Kagome approached cautiously, walking around Shippou in a circle as if to make sure he had not been harmed. "Why did you go out alone?" The question was laced with uncertainty, as were her features.

Ordinarily, Shippou would be pleased by the concern of his friends. However, this time he saw it as a blatant lack of trust in his abilities and replied flippantly, "Why does it matter? I can take care of myself." 

Annoyed that the kitsune was speaking to Kagome that way, which in his mind only Inuyasha was allowed to do, the hanyou growled, "Since when? I'm always having to save your scrawny hide." 

"Not anymore." was the kitsune's cool response, a flash of red appearing in his green eyes. 

"What?" Inuyasha sneered, "You think now that you have an older body, you are capable of taking care of yourself? Listen well, runt, you're going back to normal as soon as we can track down that youkai." 

Shippou was getting angrier by the moment. Not that it was very visible. It was more an aura of fury that formed around the kitsune which hung almost tangibly in the air. His voice however, remained eerily calm, though somewhat contemptful, "Leave things be, hanyou. It's not for the likes of you to meddle in youkai affairs." The kitsune really wasn't sure where that sentiment came from. It sounded like something Inuyasha's older brother would say...a comment meant to wound. The words were acidic, and Shippou meant them to be. 

The entire group was stunned by Shippou's words, but the one addressed was the first to recover. "Is that so?" He cracked his fingers in a habitual move, readying his claws for use. The scathing retort had indeed hurt. Inuyasha was used to such speeches from his brother, but to hear them from the cub that he had protected...the same cub that so often said that Inuyasha being a hanyou didn't matter... it was proverbial arrow through his heart. 

Kagome, though surprised by the kitsune's vitriol language, could still see the reason for his behavior. Had she not acted as a mother to the kitsune these past months? She was accustomed to his moods, and even his stance warned her that Shippou, too, was hurting. "Inuyasha..." The hanyou ignored her. "Shippou..." The kitsune glanced briefly to her, but looked away just as quickly. Still, that small acknowledgement gave her hope, "Can you not see that you can't continue like this? You have to go back to normal." 

Shippou bared his fangs, casting an angry look at the girl. Though her words were meant to placate, he saw them as betrayal. She was, after all, siding with the hanyou. "And what would a human girl know of such matters?" 

Kagome drew back as if Shippou had physically struck her. In actuality, it was merely an emotional blow, but that was all the provocation Inuyasha needed. Seeing the anger on his face, Kagome called, "No, Inuyasha!" He ignored her, leaping towards the kitsune. Panicked now, she quickly added, "Sit!" 

The hanyou slammed into the ground, stunned for more reasons than simply the effect of hitting his head on the floor. "What the hell did you do that for?" 

Kagome didn't answer. Or at least, she didn't while Shippou was still there. Seeing that he would be denied yet another chance to prove himself, Shippou cast a cold glance in Kagome's direction and turned to disappear back into the darkness. 

****

------------------------

The kitsune couldn't recall ever being this angry. Fury coursed through him as he walked through the village, consuming his thoughts in its fire. Why couldn't they accept that he wasn't a weakling anymore? That he didn't want to be one again! _Because they're jealous. _The thought niggled its way into his brain, despite its irrational sentiment. Angry thoughts rarely have any sense to them. _They're jealous because you have power now. You're a full youkai and Inuyasha's only a hanyou. The rest are just human. _He paused on the outer edge of the field he had sat in earlier with the girl. Could it be? Were they really jealous? He could excuse their jealousy if that was what prompted their behavior towards him, but he was intelligent enough to know that it wasn't. So that left him clueless once more. Shippou hated being clueless. _Why can't they be happy for me? _

He scowled into the darkness, a soft growl escaping his lips. Before he could even stop to ponder it, he felt the power gather in his hand. Surprised, he could only stare as the power built into a small ball of fire, leaping out of his hand and into the air. He watchedin shock as it shot forward, hitting a tree a good couple hundred feet away. _How the hell did that happen? _He would have mulled over it some more, but was soon aware that not only had the fire hit the tree, but was now also spreading to the grass. _Damn. I'm going to be in trouble now. _This was the last thing he needed tonight. 

The fire spread quickly and out of control, consuming the field with alarming speed. He wasn't that overly concerned. The field wasn't used for anything, so not much damage would be done. Still, it needed to stop before it reached the residences. So intent was he upon returning to the village to get help, he almost didn't hear the choked scream coming from behind him. He stared incrompehendingly at the wall of flames, his mind pleading with his ears to say that they had misheard. The sound came again, this time weaker, and the kitsune slowly realized that the grass wasn't the only thing threatened by the burning death. _Akina! _He had assumed the girl would return home as she promised. Assumptions can be fatal.

****

------------------------

Please review! I appreciate everyone who has taken a moment to drop a line and give suggestions. They really have helped. I will try to get the next chapter out in a few days. I'm thinking the story will be wrapped up in a week, at most two. I'll have to see where my muse leads me. ^.~ 


	14. Burning Guilt

This chapter is the darkest of all of the ones I've written in this story so far, but considering the subject matter, there was no other way for it to be. I hope you all enjoy it all the same and if you have a moment to review, please do so! ^_^ Again, thank you to those who have been reviewing. 

****

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any of its characters. Akina, however, is still mine. 

-------------------------------------------------

****

Chapter Thirteen

__

"Guilt is the source of sorrows, the avenging fiend that follows us behind with whips and stings"-Nicholas Rowe

The few seconds it had taken Shippou to come to the realization of Akina's endangerment seemed to him to be an eternity. He was nigh on certain that he had paused too long, and the damage had already occurred. The magnitude of what he had done paralyzed him in horror as he watched the orange flames lick the black sky. Yet, just as the guilt began to drown him, a hoarse cough rose over the deafening crackling. His heart leapt at the noise, blood pounding loudly in his ears as he darted into the burning field, the searing heat nipping at his heels. It didn't matter if the fire consumed him, if only he could find the girl alive. So what if the rescue attempt killed him? It was his fault that one needed to be made, wasn't it? 

He halted on a large stone where he could be temporarily safe from burning, eyes squinting anxiously through the smoke. His lungs labored for each breath of precious oxygen, polluted by the heavy cloud in the air. _Damn it, it's impossible to even sniff her out this way. _The only thing he could depend on were his ears, but the girl wasn't making enough consistent sounds for him to locate her in the maze of flames. 

There were wide gaps where the fire had not yet consumed and he could only hope that she had made it to one of those. He was dimly aware that his tail was becoming precariously close to catching ablaze, but he mostly ignored it, only twitching it out of the way. His panic refused to allow him to dwell on his own safety. "Akina!" The call was strangled and desperate, the kitsune not daring to actually hope for a result. 

Yet one came in the answer of a moan, almost inaudible, just ahead of him through the inferno. His reaction was instantaneous and he was more than willing to take the risk that his ears had deceived him. The kitsune lept forward into one of the quickly shrinking patches of land. He almost landed on the prostrate and unconscious girl, but managed to twist his body to land awkwardly next to her. He probably also twisted an ankle, but Shippou paid little attention to that. It was impossible for him to tell how badly she was hurt, and he wasn't inclined to stay there and see. He was too focussed on getting the both of them away. He scooped the child up in his arms, moving swiftly to get out of the flames. It was much easier getting to yet untouched land than it was to enter the fire, for his body understood the innate need to get to safety more than it understood the need to risk himself for another. 

He wasn't really surprised to see the villagers already gathered, working together to put out the flames. Nor was he surprised to see his traveling companions also there, staring at him in shock as he emerged. _Do they know it's my fault? _He observed them from the corner of his eye, unable to bring himself to look at them fully. Shame swamped him and he clutched the girl in his arms a bit closer. She was breathing, though each breath seemed to be a struggle for her. Still, that rasping had to be the most wonderful thing Shippou had ever heard. It meant life. It was life. 

He would be denied even that comfort, however, for it was no more than a moment before one of the village women stepped forward, eyes filled with tears. "Akina! Oh, thank you, thank you!" Shippou had no choice but to place the girl in her mother's arms, for to do otherwise would be ludicrous. The movement, however, left him awkwardly unaware of what to do with his hands, so they fell to his sides in clenched fists. The woman continued on, not noticing his tense stance, "I thought she might be out here when she didn't come home and when I heard about the fire I was so terrified...when I think what could have happened.. Oh, thank you!" Her expressions of gratitude were repetitious and rambling. 

Focused on his own torment, Shippou didn't notice. He was ignoring her, until in her rambling she used one word that suddenly made him draw back with a wince. Hero. The kitsune had decided not to speak, for he would not disgrace himself further with an unsteady voice. Yet, the word made him protest in a harsh voice, full of self-loathing, "I'm not a hero." With that denial, he finally turned a lifeless green gaze to his companions. They knew. He could see it in their eyes. 

With a snarl of disgust directed fully at himself, the kitsune took off at a run towards the woods. The fact that a wall of flames remained between him and his intended goal did not deter him- he simply lept over it. Kagome was calling for him. He knew that. Yet the gulf between him and his companions was not simply the sea of flames. Nor was it his appearance any longer. It was nothing so superficial. The separation was to the very soul embodied in the kitsune's form. The separation was guilt and it threatened to consume him in ways the fire could have never done. 

------------------------------------------------------------------

Please review with any comments or suggestions and let me know what you all think. This chapter is a bit shorter than my others, but I really felt it needed to stand alone rather than have a second part. If you think I'm wrong on that… well, the next chapter will be out soon and you can just pretend it was added on to this one. I am thinking this is the second to last chapter, with an epilogue at the end. That may change, but it doesn't look like it will. 

Dark-Neo: I will definately keep an eye out for your story! 


	15. A Full Circle

I was quite surprised by the positive responses to the last chapter. It certainly cheered me up! This is, as I said before, the last actual chapter of the story, so it is only fitting that it does rank as the longest (if only by a few words). The story isn't over yet, though, there will be a short epilogue. Enjoy! 

****

Disclaimers: I do not own Inuyasha or company. However, Akina is mine. 

****

----------------------------------------

Chapter 14 

__

"Part of every misery is, so to speak, the misery's shadow or reflection: the fact that you don't merely suffer but have to keep on thinking about the fact that you suffer." -C.S. Lewis 

"Inuyasha! You have to go after him!" Kagome turned pleading eyes on the hanyou, desperation tingeing her tone.

For once, Inuyasha managed to feel completely nothing at her pleas. Hurt had a way of making one numb. "No. I don't." It wasn't a petulant protest this time. It was firm and unrelenting. 

Grabbing his arm, the girl persisted, "You can't just let him run off alone. He may never return." 

His lips pulled back to reveal his fangs in a grim imitation of a smile. "Maybe it's better that way, ya ever think of that?" 

Stunned by his coldness in his gaze, Kagome staggered back, shaking her head. "You can't mean that." 

"Can't I?" In a sudden move, the hanyou grasped her wrist in a tight grip, forcing her full attention on him, "You don't get it, do you? He chose his path. It ain't my concern anymore." The warrior gave the girl back the ownership of her wrist in a none too gentle way, turning to return back to the village, but not before growling, "I don't wanna hear this crap anymore. Your heart bleeds too much." Then Inuyasha, too, disappeared into the darkness. 

Kagome lightly rubbed her wrist, not noticing that it bore angry red marks from Inuyasha's grip. Hurt, but not allowing herself to dwell on it while Shippou was in danger, she looked to Sango and Miroku, "Will you two help me find him?" 

Reluctant to answer the question himself, Miroku looked to Sango. The exterminator understood the monk's reasoning for hesitation, taking it upon herself to softly reply, "Kagome-chan... we can look, but Inuyasha is the only one with a prayer of finding him by scent. Even then, Shippou managed to elude him before and could probably do so again..." As much as she loved the kitsune herself, she was rational. 

"So you're saying it's hopeless." Kagome shifted a bleak gaze to the fire and the barely visible dark tips of the trees beyond. "Shippou's gone and we can't find him."

"Don't give up hope yet," The monk offered, "He may still choose to return on his own." Miroku's expression was impassive, though he attempted to keep his tone light. Sango placed her hand on his arm, rewarding him a small smile for his effort. 

Tears misting her eyes, Kagome inclined her head, "Yeah." But recalling the look in the kitsune's eyes, her heart didn't believe it. 

-----------------------------------------------------

A stick managed to fell the kitsune. Ordinarily, even a log wouldn't have presented much of a problem for him, even at a dead run. Ordinarily, he wouldn't welcome the fall or the sharp pain of his body striking the ground. Tonight was different. He felt a perverse sense of relief from that hurt. He deserved to hurt. _How much pain is Akina in now? _Shippou forced himself to sit up on the forest floor, raising a hand to the wound on his forehead. It was not a severe cut, but as with all head wounds, it bled more than such a gash normally would. He lowered his hand, holding it in front of him. Blood now covered it. Stained it. He clenched his fingers over his palm, feeling a bitter urge to laugh. It was a reminder of what he had almost done. Still might have done, really- Who said that the girl would even manage to survive now that she out of the blaze? 

Swallowing hard, he lifted his gaze to the stars, barely visible in between the branches of the trees around him. He couldn't see them, but the trees weren't to blame for it. The tears that rolled down his cheeks were like molten metal. They scalded him with their heat, but then, he was so very cold. 

Shippou awoke the next morning, muscles and bones recriminating him for sleeping in the position he did. His tongue felt heavy in his mouth from lack of water, his body ached, and over all, the kitsune was miserable. He was, however, numbed a bit towards the pain. Sleep has a way of making everything seem less sharp, even guilt. The sun also brought clarity of mind with it and he was aware of what path he would take. It was possible he would not survive it, but that still did not matter to him. 

-----------------------------------

"Kagome?"

The girl rose her head, hurriedly attempting to wipe the tears away from her cheeks. "Y-yes?" 

The hanyou paused, suddenly at a loss as to what to say. He had avoided the girl all day since his hurtful words the night before. Yet, not even his own pain would allow him to ignore the fact Kagome was sitting out alone in the dark. She hadn't slept, and while youkai could exist on very little sleep, Inuyasha knew it was not healthy for humans. He had heard her crying from his position in the tree, and now that he neared, could even smell the saltiness of her tears. "Don't cry." 

Kagome tried mightily, but all she managed to do was to slow her breathing. Tears were still rolled in silent testament to her sate of mind.

Inuyasha approached cautiously, unsure how to behave. He never could stand to see her cry. A fight to the death with Sesshoumaru was more appealing than standing here and watching her, unable to make her stop. In fact, he couldn't stand here and watch her. So he sat and tried again, "Please don't." 

"I can't help it!" was the girl's impassioned reply. She knew Inuyasha hated her crying, but she had good reason to cry. Shippou was gone and Inuyasha had been avoiding her. She was allowed to cry! So she ceased trying to control it. 

__

Shit. She wasn't supposed to cry even harder! Inuyasha's eyes widened in panic. He wracked his brain, attempting to think of what his mother did when he cried as a child. Not that he ever cried, even as a child, but he was thinking in hypothetical terms here. Using the only tactic that came to mind, he pulled Kagome into his arms tightly. In a hug, mind you. He wasn't trying to smother her. It would have worked to cease the tears, but that was the extent of positive results of such an action. 

She fell into his chest, so surprised by the movement that it didn't occur to her to catch herself. "Inuyasha?" Being held in his embrace was comforting, and she found herself subconsciously snuggling closer.

The hanyou hushed her, running his clawed fingers through her hair gently. He had always liked it when his mother did it, so it stood to reason that Kagome would like the gesture too. On a more selfish note, he enjoyed the soft texture of her hair through his fingers. "If you sleep, I'll go with Kirara and look for the runt tomorrow." When she began to speak, he cut her off, "I don't promise nothin', but I'll look." 

Kagome smiled, relaxing against him. She knew that his offer was the apology he was too proud to actually give. "Thank you, Inuyasha." 

"Keh. Sleep." For once, she obeyed him. 

-------------------------------------

Inuyasha did keep his promise. He spent all the next day scouring for any signs of where Shippou had gone. The only thing he found was a faint trace of blood in the woods, but that was not enough for him to go on. He and Kirara were forced to return in defeat. The defeat was particularly deflating to the hanyou, as Kagome's tears made him feel even worse. Though she had insisted that he was not to blame, he felt that he somehow was. 

Days merged into two full weeks, and still no sign or sound of the kitsune. The others had forced Kagome to return home, Inuyasha swearing to come and fetch her if they heard anything. The fact that even the hanyou was in on making her remain home was telling enough. She came back after four days but was quickly losing hope. For his part, Inuyasha was becoming restless. They could not continue to put off the hunt for the shards, but he was hesitant to bring it up to the girl. Miroku agreed with his concerns, as did Sango. They all knew that someone had to speak with Kagome, so of course, it was Sango who was nominated. 

"Kagome-chan..." The exterminator began, attempting to figure out the softest way to break the announcement, "There are still Shikon shards to find." A pause and her voice dropped even lower, "And we do not know when Shippou will return...if he ever does." It was the first time someone had dared say the words that perhaps Shippou really wasn't coming back. "We cannot wait forever." 

Kagome nodded, swallowing the lump in her throat so she could answer. She didn't get a chance to. 

"You don't need to wait." The voice was recognizable, and both Sango and Kagome turned in unison to seek out its owner. Standing before them was Shippou, an adult no longer. Scratches marred the childish innocence of his face but it was his eyes that showed the most significant change. They were shadowed, giving the incongruous image of age in his young face. He had matured, but this time it was the natural result of an experience that left a mark on the soul. They stared at each other in a long silence before the kitsune once more broke it, "Can you forgive me?" His voice cracked halfway through the question. 

To Kagome, an audible answer wasn't necessary. She ran to the child, scooping him up in her arms and cradling him close. Inuyasha and Miroku watched on from behind the bushes where they had been quite obviously spying on the conversation. The monk glanced to the hanyou, as if to see if he would need to keep the warrior from attacking. He really shouldn't have bothered. Inuyasha was smiling. 

-------------------------------------

I know there wasn't much fluff in the chapter, but I tried to put a bit of romance in for those who asked for it. ^_^* The epilogue should be posted in the next day or so. It may be near the end of the story, but reviews are still treasured! So please leave any comments or questions you may have. ^.~ 


	16. Epilogue

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. Akina, however, is mine. 

****

--------------------------------

Epilogue 

__

"To know how to grow old is the master work of wisdom, and one of the most difficult chapters in the great art of living"-Henri Frederic Amiel 

The kitsune eventually did tell his tale, but it was sparsely worded and evasive. The fire was not addressed in it, as Shippou was attempting to push it away from his mind. It was a kindness that they did not press him for answers on that score. He freely offered that he realized they were right, and that he hunted down the youkai and killed it of his own choice. He gave no descriptions of the fight, simply that it had been done. Again, his traveling companions were wise enough not to ask for details. That he was capable of defeating the youkai on his own surprised them, but they did not doubt him. The new light in his eyes forbade them from doing so. 

It was agreed that they would begin looking for the shards again tomorrow. Shippou had needed to rest, though he would never admit it. Kagome came up with a false excuse as to why they simply had to stay another day-that everyone saw through but pretended not to. The kitsune felt almost smothered by the others watching him constantly, and it took a great deal of promises and vows to get permission to leave the hut and spend some time on his own. Again, his feet led him without there being a conscious decision where to head. It should be no surprise, then, that he ended up gazing over the scorched field. He had not gained the courage to ask after Akina yet, and no one had thought to offer the information to him. 

Standing again in that field, he allowed his mind to wander back to the events of the past two weeks. He had not told the others the whole of it for good reason. His shame would not let him boast over the accomplishment or self-sacrifice. That would have made it all for naught. The kitsune truly did not, at first, realize just how hard it would be to locate the youth-stealing youkai. It had been spoken of among the group as if it would be a simple decision to change Shippou back, then an equally simple recovery of his youth. It was not to be so. At least not for the lone kitsune. After searching for the youkai for three full days to no avail, he was forced to contemplate a more thorough plan. It occurred to him to call in favors that were owed to his parents before they were killed. Those who he chose to approach, and he did carefully choose the youkai he felt were the most honorable, were relieved to see that all the kit was asking of them was the location of the creature. A few of them had owed serious debts indeed and Shippou would have been well within his rights to ask more. One even offered to accompany him on his mission in addition to information, but the kitsune refused him. Already, his soul clamored at him even asking for help in locating the youkai- to accept aid in the actual battle would have, in his mind, toppled his precarious honor.

The battle itself was surprisingly short, but that is not to say it was not fierce. It was fortunate for Shippou that the youkai's main powers, those of deception and allure, were useless against him. He was not such a fool as to fall deceived by her a second time, and even if he were, the kitsune in him was too much of a deceiver himself to be easy prey. It was, metaphorically, fighting fire with fire. As to her powers of hypnotism, they held no allure whatsoever to him. He sought only to redeem his own soul and, with such a prize in sight, her glamour was futile. Yet, though the battle was fought mostly on the grounds of deception and trickery, Shippou did not emerge unscathed. In actuality, it had taken him several days to heal from the wounds he sustained, even with his youkai health. He was determined not to go back hurt, for even if he could hide the wounds from his companions, Inuyasha would smell the blood. So, he was forced to wait until he was completely healed. Healed physically, at least, for the mental wounds were not even near scarring.

A soft voice interrupted his ruminations, "There was a bad fire. That's why the field looks so bad. No one knows what caused it." 

Shippou spun to face the speaker, mouth agape in surprise. _Akina! _As soon as the shock of that realization abated, her words fully sunk in, "Th…. They don't?" Surely Inuyasha and the others had some suspicion. Had they not shared that with the villagers? 

The girl shook her head, giving a slight shrug of her shoulders. She seemed perfectly healthy with no lasting injuries. He dimly realized that her hair was shorter than before. Perhaps the singeing of the fire required her to cut it. "I was in the field at the time, but I didn't see what started the fire." She paused, looked towards Shippou, "You look familiar..." 

Shippou glanced away, a telltale guilty flush on his cheeks, "Lots of people have trouble telling Kitsune apart." A lie, really. Kitsune had a wide variation of appearance, but it wasn't like the girl would know the difference. Then, recalling that he was playing the part of a stranger, he felt driven to murmur, "So you escaped the fire then. How?" 

Akina nodded, a smile spreading across her face, "I was saved by one of your kind." She cast a shy glance to the ground, looking at Shippou with childish uncertainty, "That is who you remind me of. He was very brave." 

He continued to keep his eyes on the field, offering indifferently, "I'm sure he just did what any would in such circumstances." 

The girl looked petulant. The child in front of her was insulting her hero, after all. "He didn't. He was heroic. I wish I could thank him." 

Shippou swallowed, before forcing a smile as he finally brought his gaze back to her, "I am sure he already knows of your gratitude." His next comment was almost inaudible, "I am also sure he doesn't deserve it." It was so soft, she couldn't be certain she heard it at all. "Be well, Akina." 

He was gone before the girl could reply. Akina stared after him in puzzlement, shaking her head slightly, "How did he know my name? Must be a kitsune thing." With the easy acceptance of youth, she pushed it from her mind and looked back to the field. It no longer had the soft grass she was so fond of sitting in, but her mother had told her it'd grow back. Fire had a way of giving rebirth to the land. The old things were gone, but the newer things would replace them. That was how it was meant to be, after all. 

****

~The End~

Author's Notes: Originally, the Epilogue had what I, with the help of a friend, realized to be a serious cop out. There was no explanation for what happened while Shippou was away, merely that he wouldn't discuss it. I realized that this was very poor of me to do, so I added the two paragraphs in to at least give a little more information. Though it may still be viewed as a brief summary, hopefully it's one that will be at least a little more satisfactory! If it wasn't, then please do feel free to let me know. Of course, you can also feel free to let me know if you liked the ending as well. ^.~ 

When I first started this story, I would have been thrilled if I had ended it with even fifteen reviews. Forty may not be an impressive number to some, but I'm stunned by it. ^_^ I cannot express just how much it encouraged me to see people liking the story. It has definitely made my first experience in posting on Fanfiction.net wonderful! So, thank you to those who reviewed. I truly appreciate every word, especially the suggestions offered. In times of writer's block, those reviews were priceless! 


End file.
